Overlapping and interlocking louvers for light fixtures



May 8, 1962 w. D. cAHlLL 3,033,979

OVERLAPPING AND INTERLOCKING LoUvERs FOR LIGHT FIXTURES Filed Sept. 13, 3.957

IVI

l b li tte aet hice 3,033,979 Patented May S, 192

3,033,979 OVERLAPPING AND INTERLCKING LUVERS FR LIGHT FKTURES William D. Cahill, Chicago, Ill., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Curtiss-Electro Lighting, luc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 13, 1957, Ser. No. 683,820 Claims. (Cl. 24d- 9) My invention relates to light diffusing plastic louvers for light fixtures and luminous ceilings, which may be associated together in any length without visible attaching means and which overlap and interlock.

Another object of my invention is to provide overlapping and interlocking louvers, which need no cross bars, or other extraneous and visible attachments.

To supply louvers for forming a light lfixture or luminous ceiling of any size by the mere attachment of louvers of standard size. Unlike any other suspended ceiling, ythe architect can utilize my overlap and interlock louvers in a simple aesthetic linear designed ceiling -without visible grid crcssbars across the width. Through their use not only a-re crossbars eliminated but the standard architectural module of 2 foot widths is used so -that the length can be 2 feet or 2,000 feet.

To create louvers having overlapping and reverse interlocking features. This prevents sidewise misalignment.

The overlapping and interlocking construction of my louvers will straighten out slight warping and retain the louvers in straight aligned position.

In attaching of my louvers together, they yhave the appearance of a single piece, with greater resul-tant saleability and marketability.

My invention also contemplates ease of installation and attachment of my louvers by any one without special skill land such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear, and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While i have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment or" my invention, yet it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modiiication and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring -to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of two of my louvers in assembled position; FIG. 2 is a broken edge view; FIG. 3 is a prospective view lof two of my louvers about to be joined; FIG. 4 is a plan view of my coupled louvers, and FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view of the louvers partly separated and showing the alignment on line 5 5 of FIG. l.

The embodiment selected to illustrate my invention includes two or more louvers adapted to overlap and interlock without visible attachments to form the light diiusing portions of -a lighting fixture or luminous ceiling.

My louvers 1t) are formed of plastic, glass or other suit-able material for diffusing uorescent electric light or the like positioned adjacent them. My louvers have a Ibody portion 11 preferably formed of spaced crossed strips forming a plurality of squares or cube portions with open ends. Each louver has spaced long sides 12 and 13 and spaced ends 14 and 15.

vA marginal `ban-d 16 extends around one end 14 of the louver and terminates at 1'7 short of the center of each of said long sides 12 and 13. Another marginal band 18 extends around the other end and terminates at 19 short of the center of each of said long sides 12 and 13. rlihe distance between 17 and 14 is the same as the distance between 19 and 15.

In one form of my louver 20, marginal band 16 covers the upper half of the ends of strips 21 and lthe spaces therebetween. A central marginal band 22 extends between 17 and 19 on each of long sides 12 and 13 and covers the lower half of the ends of strips 21 and the spaces therebetween.

At 17 and 19, strips 21 and bands 16 and 18 have inwardly cut corner notches 23 and 24. The outer ends of cach central marginal band 22 and connecting strip 21 have inwardly cut corner notches 25 and 26.

A adjacent louver referred to as 2-7 may be formed as heretofore set forth with the following differences: This adjacent louver 27 has its marginal bands 16 and 18 covering the lower half of the ends of strips 21 and the spaces therebetween, and its central marginal band 22 covering the upper half of the ends of strips 21 and the spaces between 17 and 19.

When louver 27 is to ybe attached to louver 20 central marginal band 22 of louver 27 is positioned on yftop of central marginal band 22 of louver 20, with corner notches 25 and 26 of louver 27 engaging corner notches 23 and 24 of louver 2li. This positions marginal band 16 and 18 of louver 29 against and on top of marginal band 16 and 18 of louver 27 Further louvers 2li and 27 may be similarly attached to each other until a fixture or luminous ceiling of desired size is obtained. Means are then provided for attaching the fixture or luminous ceiling so formed to the ceiling of a room and fluorescent elect-ric or other light yare provided lfor supplying illumination to be distributed or diffused by the fixture or luminous ceiling.

It is also to be noted that by turning over louver 20, louver 27 is obtained so that louvers 10 are reversible.

Having thus `described my invention, I claim;

l. A louver for light fix-tures comprising a rectangular body member having a plurality oi crossing strips forming a plurality of longitudinally and laterally spaced cubes with open marginal ends, said body member having spaced `sides vand spaced ends, a marginal Iband beginning short of center on one of said sides and extending around one end to a point short of center on the other side, another marginal band beginning shont of the other side of center on said side and extending around the other end to a point short of center on the other side, said marginal bands covering the upper half of the marginal ends of said strips, a central band covering the lower half of the marginal ends of said strips and extending 'between said marginal bands, said marginal bands at their ends and the marginal open ends of said strips at their meeting having cooperating notches and said central bands at their ends also having cooperating notches at their meeting with the marginal open ends of said strips.

2. A louver for light Iixtures comprising a rectangular body member having a plurality of crossing strips forming a plurality of longitudinally and laterally spaced cubes with open marginal ends, said body member having spaced sides and spaced ends, a marginal band beginning short of center on one of said sides and extending around one end to a point short of center on the other side, another marginal band beginning short of the other side of center on said side and extending around the other end.

to a point short of center on the other side, said marginal bands covering the lower half of the marginal ends of said strips, a centralband cove-ring the upper half of the marginal ends of said strips and extend-ing between said marginal bands, said marginal bands at their ends and the marginal open 'ends of said strips at their meeting having cooperating notches and said centra-l bands at their ends also having cooperating notches at their meeting with the marginal open ends of said strips.

3. A pair of interlocking and overlapping louvers for light fixtures comprising two louvers, each having a body member having a plurality of crossing strips forming a plurality of longitudinal-ly and laterally spaced cubes with open marginal ends, said body member having spaced sides and spaced ends, a marginal bandbeginning short of center on one of said sides and extending around one end =to a point shortl of center lon :the otherside, `another y marginal band beginning short of the other side of center on lsaid side and extending around the other 'end to aA point short of center on the other side, a central band extending between said marginal bands, saidfmarginal bands at their ends and the marginal open ends of said strips at their meeting having cooperating notches and said central bands at their ends also having cooperating notches at their meeting with the marginal open ends of said strips, the marginal bands in the iirst of said flouvers covering the uppervhalf, Vand the marginal bands in the second of said louvers covering the lower half of the I marginal ends of said strips, andthe central band of the rst louver covering the lower half and the central band of the second louver covering the upper half of the marginal ends of said strips between the V'marginal bands, so

that the marginal Vband of the t-iirst louver rests on the marginal band of the second louver, and the central band of the second louver rts on the central band of the first louvera-s the louvers interengage and lock` at said notches.

4. Arlouver for light fixtures comprising a rectangiilar body member having a plurality of crossing stri-ps forming a plurality of longitudinally and laterallyV spaced cubes, said body having spaced sides Vand spaced ends, a

`between said bar portions, said bar portions at 'their ends and the open ends of said strips at their meeting forming cooperating notches and said central bar at its ends also forming cooperating notches Aat its meeting with the open ends of said strips.

5. A pair of interlocking and overlapping louvers for light fixture comprising two louvers, each louver having a body member having a plurality of crossing strips forming a Yplurality of longitudinally and laterally spaced cubes, said body member having spaced sides and spaced ends, a bar portion beginning short of center on one of said sides and extending to one of said spaced ends, another bar portion `beginning short of center on said side and extending to the other of said spaced ends, a central -bar extending between said bar portions, said bar portions at :their `ends and the open ends of said strips at their meeting'forming cooperating notches and said central bar at its ends also forming cooperating notches at its meeting with the open ends of said strips, the bar portions in the `rst of'said Vlouvers covering the upper half of'said side, and the bar portions in the second of said Ilouvers covering the lower half of ysaid side, and the central bar t, of the iirst louver covering the lower lhalf of said side and the central bar of the second louver covering the upper half of the said side, so that the bar portions of the iirst louver rests on the hair portions of the second louver, and the central bar of the :second louver rests on the central bar of the iirst louver as the louver-s interengage and interlock at said notches.

References Cited iiijthc hie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS venin r V Aug. 19, 1952 FQREIGN YPATENTS 861,688 Germany -..t Dec. 29, 19,52

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